More Than Words
by DarkElements10
Summary: Prompt from tumblr: "Those things you said yesterday. Did you mean them?" for pre-relationship Kendall/Riley.


**More Than Words**

**By: Riley**

**Summary - ****Prompt from tumblr: "Those things you said yesterday. Did you mean them?" for pre-relationship Kendall/Riley.**

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The steady hum of the bus engine was the only thing to break the silence of the 'post show after glow' that rendered the members of Big Time Rush and the DarkElements silent. The only time of day wehre the bus wasn't filled with screaming, laughing, and constant chattering that only those who had each other for attention could do. And, most of the time with the two bands, they only had each other for attention anyway.

But, after concerts, when things were winding down, it was when they got the chance to reflect and wind down. Typically, it was a time Riley would use to get as much sleep as possible. Her sleep schedule already sucked; she didn't get much as it was, but being on a tour bus seemed to make it worse. The changing in tempo of the humming engine as it sped up and slowed—or maybe it was, in the back of her head, the fear of getting into a crash—kept her from falling asleep entirely.

Riley sat in the lounge area of the bus, knees drawn up to rest her sketchbook against them. Absentmindedly rubbed her right arm with her left hand, tracing the pattern of the tattoo on her arm as it stuck out from the sleeve of her basketball jersey. Across from her, Kendall sat doing the homework he'd procrastinated on doing before. She could tell from the way he'd grumble and tap his pen against his forehead every few seconds before sighing heavily. It was like clockwork, she'd noticed him doing the first time she and her siblings had gone to the Palm Woods School.

It still drove her nuts.

But what occupied her mind was much more important. So much so that it managed to ease any of her frustrations of knowing what—or more specifically _who_—was probably waiting for Kendall back at the Palm Woods with an arched eyebrow, a wink, and a taunting comment that'd probably spurn him to write yet another song. She gritted her teeth, working to push back the tiny, wiggling point of insecurity and hurt (like she'd ever admit it) that struggled to make its way forward.

"Hey, Hockey-Head?" She asked slowly, as if still thinking whether she wanted to know.

"Yeah?" Kendall sighed, lifting his gaze from his textbook, almost in relief. No, Riley realized, it probably was relief. Taken away from his torture.

"Those things you said yesterday…" She kept her gaze on her sketch of the interior of the bus, a replication of what was sitting directly in front of her. Her  
eyebrows furrowed, tension held firmly in her face. "Did you mean them?"

Kendall's eyebrows rose in surprise. He didn't ask her to clarify what she meant. Didn't have to. Knew she was talking about the radio interview he and the rest of the boys had done with JoJo Wright from KIIS FM. No, he wasn't surprised of the topic, surprised she had to ask.

"Of course, I meant it," he said. "I don't lie during interviews."

Riley snorted.

Kendall conceded, holding up his hands. "Except that one time." He dropped his hands to his lap and looked at her seriously. "Yes, Riles, I meant it."

_"Okay, Kendall, I'm going to put you on the spot a little bit. So, I hope these guys here don't kill you," JoJo  
said with a grin, eyes bouncing from James, Logan, and Carlos, back to Kendall. "Who's your best friend?"_

_For a second, Kendall panicked, seeing all the eyes of his best friends turn his way. Then he relaxed, knowing  
he already knew the answer. "The person I'd consider my best friend would have to be, like, family."_

_"So, which of these three is it, then?" JoJo asked. He chuckled to himself, seeing them—especially James—practically look at Kendall like a lion after a gazelle. "And be careful of your answer, it may start something."_

_"That's the thing, though," Kendall said. "These guys aren't my best friends, they're my brothers. I couldn't choose between them."_

_"So, what does that mean? Who's your best friend?"_

_Kendall shrugged and simply said, "Riley is."_

_"Riley Jackson, form the DarkElements?"_

_"Yeah. I don't know how it happened. In many ways we're so different. But in many ways…we're the same person. She sticks by me, no matter what, and has this strange way of always knowing what to say to help me out while also getting me into even more trouble than I already was. There aren't many people out there that'd do that."_

_"So you're saying these guys won't do that for you?" JoJo asked._

_Kendall grinned. "Did we ever tell you what happened when we got hit by Hollywood Fever?"_

"Why?" Kendall asked.

"No reason, mate," Riley replied. The nagging feeling in the back of her head immediately dispersed. She felt calmer than she had since leaving from LA. She nodded toward the homework he was working on. "Help?"

"Please!" He said gratefully.

Riley moved her sketchbook aside and moved to sit on the couch next to him. He pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt, shoving his hands into the front pocket and leaned closer to her so he could see how she worked out the math problem he was struggling with, as she found out by quickly looking over the chicken scratch on the page.

"Ah, maths," she remarked. "Your worst subject."

"Don't remind me," Kendall mumbled.

"What would you do without me, Hockey-Head?"

"I don't want to find out."

Riley smiled.

She didn't have to look to know he was smiling, too.

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**THE END**


End file.
